Unit4單元高考閱讀閱讀提示：本文屬于記敘文，主要講了美國(guó)繪畫之父Benjamin在決定要成為一名畫家之前的經(jīng)歷。BenjaminWest,thefatherofAmericanpainting,showedhistalentforartwhenhewasonlysixyearsofage.Buthedidnotknowaboutbrushesbeforeavisitortoldhimheneededone.Inthosedays,abrushwasmadefromcamelshair.Therewerenocamelsnearby.Benjamindecidedthatcathairwouldworkinstead.Hecutsomefurfromthefamilycattomakeabrush.Thebrushdidnotlastlong.SoonBenjaminneededmorefurBeeforelong,thecatbegantolookragged(蓬亂).Hisfathersaidthatthecatmustbesick.Benjaminwasforcedtoadmitwhathehadbeendoing.Thecatslotwasabouttoimprove.Thatyear,oneofBenjaminscousins,Mr.Pennington,cametovisit.HewasimpressedwithBenjaminsdrawings.Whenhewenthome,hesentBenjaminaboxofpaintandsomebrushes.Healsosentsixengravings(版畫)byanartist.ThesewerethefirstpicturesandfirstrealpaintandbrushesBenjaminhadeverseen.In1747,whenBenjaminwasnineyearsold,Mr.Penningtonreturneeforanothervisit.HewasamazedatwhatBenjaminhaddonewithhisgiftHeaskedBenjamin,sparentsifhemighttaketheboybacktophiladelphiaforavisit.Inthecity,Mr.PenningtongaveBenjaminmaterialsforcreatingoilpaintings.Theboybeganalandscape(風(fēng)景)painting.WilliamWilliaiams.awell-knownpainter,cametoseehimwork.WilliamswasimpressedwithBenjaminandgavehimtwoclassicbooksonpaintingtotakehome.Thebookswerelonganddull.Benjamincouldreadonlyalittle,havingbeenapoorstudent.Buthelatersaid,Thosetwobooksweremycompanionsbyday,andundermypillowatnight.Whileitislikelythatheunderstoodverylittleofthebooks,theywerehisintrod